Go Unlimited with Magzter GOLD
Get unlimited access to 9,500+ magazines, newspapers and Premium stories for just
Try GOLD - Free
Outlook for dairy farmers in 2025
Farmer's Weekly
|March 14, 2025
The sharp increase in feed prices in 2024 resulted in weak profits for dairy farmers. Conditions will probably improve slightly during 2025, writes Dr Koos Coetzee.
This article looks at the demand for dairy, the cost of producing these products, and price trends.
INTERNATIONAL SITUATION
Six countries supply the bulk of dairy products traded globally. The changes in annual milk production in these countries are shown in the table below.
Total production recovered from the low levels of 2023. At the end of November 2024, total milk deliveries in these countries were 0,8% higher than in the period to November 2023, but still 0,7% down on November 2022.
Dairy product prices decreased sharply from the 2022 post-COVID-19 peak. From June 2022 to September 2023, the dairy price index of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization decreased by 30%. Since then, prices have recovered by 24%. The December 2024 index is however still 12% lower than the 2022 peak.
In rand terms, milk powder prices remained stable during 2023 and 2024. Butter prices increased sharply during 2023 and 2024 and reached an all-time record of more than R140 000/t mid-2024. Thereafter it decreased to R110 000/t.
SOUTH AFRICAN SITUATION
This story is from the March 14, 2025 edition of Farmer's Weekly.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,500+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM Farmer's Weekly
Farmer's Weekly
Driverless sprayers set for South African orchards
South Africa's fruit growers will soon see the country's first autonomous spraying technology in action when Orchard Agri launches the OSAM S500 PRO Autonomous Multi-Function Sprayer by LJ Tech in November.
1 mins
26 September - 3 October 2025
Farmer's Weekly
India's apple industry hit by floods
Recent floods in Jammu and Kashmir have caused major supply-chain disruptions, according to FreshPlaza.com.
1 min
26 September - 3 October 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Ghana races to protect banana crop from the threat of Fusarium wilt
Ghana has taken a crucial first step to protect its banana crop from the threat of Fusarium wilt tropical race 4 (TR4), according to an article by FreshPlaza.com.
1 min
26 September - 3 October 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Farming with friends: Marman's companion planting philosophy
Angelo Marman is a farmer with big dreams for himself and his community. He knows, however, that these dreams will only bear fruit with the help of the right companions, both in his vegetable beds and in his business ventures.
5 mins
26 September - 3 October 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Spring braai quartet
With spring well under way, now's the time to fire up the braai with these four super-tasty recipes that will have everyone coming back for seconds.
2 mins
26 September - 3 October 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Capsicum transplanting and aftercare
The seedlings should ideally be prepared for the conditions that they will experience in the land after transplantation
2 mins
26 September - 3 October 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Merinos: the cornerstone of South Africa's sheep industry
Grant Naudé, president of Merino South Africa, spoke to Octavia Avesca Spandiel about the Merino breed's adaptability, dual-purpose strengths and vital role in sustaining South Africa's wool and meat industries.
6 mins
26 September - 3 October 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Grain SA's research roadshow highlights farmer-led innovation
Grain SA’s 2025 Western Cape Research Roadshow connected farmers and researchers, sharing advances in plant breeding, pest control, climate tools, and economics to strengthen resilience and profitability in South Africa’s grain industry.
3 mins
26 September - 3 October 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Broccoli: winter crop in year-round rotation
Among the Brassica genus types, broccoli has been one of the popular choices for farmers in cooler climates.
4 mins
26 September - 3 October 2025
Farmer's Weekly
Hampshire Down: mutton sheep fast gaining in popularity
Hennie Jonker, an award-winning Hampshire Down stud breeder from Kroonstad, describes this sheep breed as a topmost mutton producer that provides sterling terminal sires for commercial and crossbred flocks. Annelie Coleman visited his Zorro stud to find out more about the breed.
4 mins
26 September - 3 October 2025
Listen
Translate
Change font size